Cindy Miles talks to BYS about her release Into Thin Air.

What went Between the Sheets of this book?  Either what was happening in your life when you wrote it, or what was happening with the book as you wrote it.

I was actually working as a full-time RN and on a super tight deadline when I wrote Into Thin Air, but the characters came to me as though I knew each one of them personally, so "they" made the book easy to write!

When did you decide to sit down and write your first novel and what led up to the publication of your first book?

I had become, for the second time in my life, a voracious reader. Once I started reading romance, characters and plots began forming in my head and I just had to put it all down in story form. That led to another story, and another.  I was very driven. I knew writing stories was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, and that it would be one great obstacle course to make it. I wrote and read a LOT. I submitted to contests, agents, editors. I was rejected. A LOT.  But with each submission I felt that I was a little closer, and that I would make it. Finally, I did.

Where did you find the idea to write this novel?

Into Thin Air came to me after watching (for the gazillionth time!) It’s A Wonderful Life--one of my favorite movies. After the initial "angel" idea formed, the characters all fell into place. I'd visited castle in the north of England before, and Castle Grimm came to me so very clear. The inhabitants?  They're very bossy and would not leave me alone until I let them speak!

How long did it take to develop your characters for this book?

My hero and heroine came very fast. They seemed perfect for each other and after forming the hero, Gawan, the heroine, Ellie, followed right away. The secondary characters just...happened. Literally. I thought of fun, quirky people, I knew I wanted them to be from various centuries, and they just took on a life of their own.

Why this story at this time?

Simply, it's what came to me.

Take us through a typical writing day and your creative process.

I'm not very organized, and sometimes I have to grab writing time when I can. I work three nights a week, 12 hour shifts, so the four days that I'm off I tend to catch up on "normal" stuff that first day, ie: housework, SLEEP, etc. But I turn myself back to day-shift mode, get up at 4:00 am, light candles, and write in my living room on my laptop. But before I can chronically get up every morning and write, I have to have my character charts completed, plot chart, and synopsis. Those are my guidelines. Plus, I have a list of secondary characters, along with a few lines about them, ie: birth year, etc.

Are you a visual writer?   Do you see scenes and characters in your head?   Or do you hear the characters voices?

A little of both, I imagine. The setting usually comes in pretty vivid for me. Scenes won't happen, though, until I have the hero and heroine fully developed. Once I do, the scenes happen. I do certainly hear voices at times! I can hear the accent, the medieval slang, etc. LOL! With Into Thin Air, the ghost ladies came in LOUD and CLEAR. So much fun!

What are your thoughts on First Person verses Third Person?  Which is your preference?

Hmm. I used to be pretty fast to answer this question, because I've always been a Third Person reader. But lately I've read several First Person novels, like Bag of Bones by Stephen King, or Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas. Loved them both! Personally, I like to write in Third Person because I love to have the hero and heroine's point of view involved.

What is your re-writing and editing process?  Do you let anyone read your work in progress before it goes to your editor?

My best pal and critique partner, Kim Lenox, reads anything I ask--which usually consists of scenes, pitches, etc. I do have two non-writer pals who read everything as I write it, and if something stops them, they let me know. My editor is fantastic. Once I finish the book and turn it in to her, she edits it and sends it back to me, and always, the changes she asks for make the novel so much better.

What is your opinion of critique groups?  Do you find them helpful?

I think critique groups are incredibly helpful--especially in the beginning stages of a writer's life. Not only do the members give support, but everyone has a little something extra to offer. Once the writer is on their way, though, a more narrow group (one or two) seems best.  It's great when you click with another writer. Kim and I don't rely on each other to line-edit--just help each other out of sticky situations, or give moral support and back-up.

How is your family affected by your writing career?

By getting up so early in the morning, I rarely dig into my family time. Now that I'm published, I have noticed my 19 year old son use the "my mom's a published writer" card with the girls.  It seems to work. LOL!

What keeps you going and motivated when life throws you a curveball?

God keeps me going, that's for sure. Between Him, my editor, who is incredibly supportive, my pal Kim and my other pals...they don't give me much of a chance to "absorb" the curveball.  Besides, I'm a show-off. LOL! I'd rather not stop to eat for two days than run late with a deadline! The deadline usually IS the motivation!

Were you an avid reader as a child?  What did you like to read?

DEFINITELY an avid reader as a child. Nancy Drew, of course, was awesome! And anything I could find ghosty or haunted in any way were my favorites.

Do you have time to read now?  What authors do you read?

I do read now, and I find reading outside my own genre keeps me grounded. I ADORE Stephen King!!! Holly Black writes fantastic young adults, and I enjoy Lisa Jackson’s work quite a lot. I also love reading random ghost stories, haunted castle books, etc.

Who or what influenced you to write and what inspires your imagination?

I love medieval times, and I love even more imagining real people living in those times. The castle ruins I've visited certainly have inspired me--and continue to do so. It simply amazes me that people built castles so long ago, and they're still here to this day.

How important is self promotion in today's publishing market and what do you do to promote your books?

You definitely need to work on self-promotion in today's market. I'm not sure anyone has a set formula, but after researching quite a few successful authors, I decided word of mouth was a fantastic avenue. I send out a lot of promo material, ie: bookmarks and advanced reader copies of the book before it actually comes out. I think having an easy website is important, too.

What are you working on now?

Oh, boy--I'm having a BLAST right now! I'm in the very early stages of my next novel--actually, still working on the outline! But it's set in modern-day Scotland, on the northwest coast. It involves a sexy hero who runs a haunted pub/inn, and the American heroine is called in by the hero's seven year old son to help come oust the wily spirits! Gerard Butler has been my inspiration for this one!

What advice do you have for aspiring writers? And how did you keep your spirits up until the first book was published?

I've been asked this quite a lot, and I always wonder if there's another answer I'll give, and there's not. KEEP WRITING. Don't sit around after that first book is finished. You finish it, edit it, enter it in contests, submit it to agents and editors who are looking for that sort of work. Then you GET BUSY with your next project. The more projects you have finished, the better your chances are of, if an editor turns you down, having him/her ask for something else. It's nice when you have a few choices to give them! As for keeping your spirits up? That's where the crit partner/groups come in. They're a wonderful resource of keeping spirits high.

Anything special that you want to tell your readers about yourself?

Hmmm. I have watched The Goonies 42 times. LOL! I love that movie!

© 2007 Interview by BetweenYourSheets.com

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